Nandita Abraham speaks with Satendra Singh about why students are going abroad for studies, where India is going wrong with education and key points to keep in mind while choosing a design school
Why are there so many students wanting to study abroadIJ
There are many reasons behind students opting to study abroad. In India, we only have a few good academic institutions and it is a struggle securing admission in those due to limited seat capacity, high cut-off percentages or entrance criteria. A student who does not get admission in such institutions looks for an option and opts for a foreign university. Another reason for preferring a foreign university is global exposure. As newage careers demand working in global organisations and set-ups, studying abroad introduces young minds to global cultures, languages, values and people. Thereby, helping students evolve as global citizens who are ready to adapt to the global work environment.
Where are we going wrong with our education systemIJ
Traditionally, our schooling system rewards conformism. Students are discouraged to try something new. This is futile considering that India is a developing nation with the world’s highest population of youth. The Indian education system itself is centered on securing marks and grades thereby pushing students to focus chiefly on achieving higher grades. Very limited or negligible attention is paid to understanding and developing their capabilities and skills. Also, there is a dire need to adopt an advanced and systematic pedagogic development approach. Pedagogy methods used today are mostly outdated and do not resonate well with both the global education standards and the ‘millennial’ generation.
What various aspects of courses are being provided and what are the most popular courses in your instituteIJ
We focuss on design education and provides the same across multiple domains of communication, fashion, spaces, products, creative businesses, et al. We offer around 30 UG, PG and diploma (both UG and PG) programmes across four campuses — New Delhi, Noida, Jaipur and Mumbai. Most popular among all the courses are communication design, luxury brand management, fashion design, fashion styling & image design, fashion business, and interior architecture & design.
Is there any special or unique approach to the course being providedIJ
The learning environment in our institute develops professionals who are hands-on. We ensure that our students roll-up their sleeves and get their hands dirty. This equips the students to see beyond the obvious and come up with innovative solutions. It also helps in bringing out the best of the talents in each individual. Every student does an industry internship and participates in live industry projects.
There are many foreign universities. In what way are they different from Indian institutesIJ
Education institutions with foreign collaborations, benchmark themselves with the best global standards and practices. As a prerequisite, the global quality standards have to be maintained with periodic review of the same. Additionally, such institutions have a global outlook in curriculum and pedagogy. Apart from offering the latest in knowledge and trends, the curriculum greatly facilitates students’ learning that is in line with industry expectations.
What things should a student look for while choosing a design schoolIJ
A design institute should be forward looking and prepare its students for what’s coming next and not just what already exists. It should prepare students for tomorrow — the workplaces, the trends, the dynamic industries. A student should consider the faculty experience, employability and entrepreneurship nurturing, Industry exposure and connect and international exposure provided by the institute before joining.